SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 8-K

                CURRENT REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF
                       THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

                                 Date of Report
              (Date of earliest event reported): September 30, 2003

                           ARIAD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.
                           ---------------------------
             (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)


 Delaware                               0-21696                 22-3106987
 ----------                             -------                 -----------
 (State or Other Jurisdiction      (Commission File Number)   (I.R.S. Employer
 of Incorporation)                                           Identification No.)


                              26 LANDSDOWNE STREET
                         CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS 02139
              (Address of principal executive offices and zip code)


               Registrant's telephone number, including area code:
                                 (617) 494-0400









ITEM 5.    OTHER EVENTS

           On September 30, 2003, the Registrant disseminated a Press Release
           announcing the appointment of three senior ARIAD executives to the
           leadership of its research and development organization:  Timothy
           Clackson, Ph.D. as Chief Scientific Officer, John Iuliucci, Ph.D. as
           Chief Development Officer, and Tomi Sawyer, Ph.D. as Senior
           Vice President, Drug Discovery.

           The information contained in the Press Release dated September 30,
           2003, is incorporated herein by reference and attached as Exhibit
           99.1 hereto.

ITEM 7.    FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, PRO FORMA FINANCIAL INFORMATION AND EXHIBITS.


           (c)    Exhibits.

                  99.1  The Registrant's Press Release dated September 30, 2003.



                                   SIGNATURES

         Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
the Registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned thereunto duly authorized.


                                ARIAD PHARMACEUTICALS, INC.



                                By:    /s/ Edward M. Fitzgerald
                                       ------------------------
                                       Edward M. Fitzgerald
                                       Senior Vice President and
                                         Chief Financial Officer


Date:    September 30, 2003


                                       2





                                  EXHIBIT INDEX

Exhibit
Number    Description                                     Sequential Page Number
-------   -----------                                     ----------------------

99.1      The Registrant's Press Release dated September 30, 2003.        4


                                       3